Events

Thursday 17th July

County Music Services Young String Quartets Coaching Day

with the Emperor Quartet leading to

Emperor Quartet Performance

Main Auditorium, 4.30pm £2

A performance by Emperor Quartet and the young string quartets who have been working with them all day. Come and support the talent of the future that is being nurtured in Lincolnshire.

—

An Introduction to Ralph Vaughan Williams

Ruston Room, 7.00pm £4

Kate Kennedy – speaker

This snapshot of the composer by the Cambridge academic Kate Kennedy launches the Festival, giving us a flavour of Vaughan Williams the man and the musician, which serves as an appetiser for the rest of the weekend’s programme.

—

A Vaughan Williams Soundtrack

Ruston Room, 8.00pm Free

A presentation of significant recorded works by Vaughan Williams as an illustration of his extensive musical output of all genres – from his early compositions through to his 87th year – with personal anecdotes by Graham Saunders. A Bang & Olufsen sound system is kindly supplied by Sykes, and CDs by Counterpoint. This event is free, but please book. N.B. It replaces the postponed Voice Masterclass as publicised in the Drill Hall brochure.

Friday 18th July

An introduction to the composer David Matthews

Ruston Room, 11.00am – 12 noon £5

David will talk to Viv McVeagh about the new work commissioned for this Festival, and about his life as a composer. The session also features readings of poetry by Edwin Muir including pieces set in the Festival commission.

—

A Ploughman’s Lunch (Meal A)

St Swithins Church, 12.15 – 1.45pm £6 per person

What better than a light bite between events which continues the theme of The Land. This 21st century ploughman’s fares very well. See separate booking form for menu and booking details.

—

Singing for All

Ruston Room, 2.00pm – 4.00pm

Now is your chance to take the first steps into singing or try a new genre. Come and join in with some friendly Lincoln singing groups to have a go. No experience of singing or reading music is necessary.

2.00pm – 3.00pm Ruth Meates, voice coach and singer herself, introduces beginners to some straightforward songs which can be enjoyed as a group.

3.00pm – 4.00pm Harmony Lincs, (Lincoln Barbershop Harmony Club), will help you find your voice.

Join either group or both. The session is free, but please book. When booking please leave your contact details, what voice range you are, (male / female, low / high) and if you have any singing experience.

—

Along the Field

Main Auditorium, 7.00pm £10

Kate Witney – soprano, Chris Rogers – violin, Stuart Bower – piano

It is well known that Vaughan Williams made important collections of folk songs and utilised many folk expressions in his own songs. This concert which also includes music by fellow collector Percy Grainger illustrates that side of his composing life. The relevance of land and landscape and of Lincolnshire itself is threaded through the concert.

—

Film – O Thou Transcendent – Tony Palmer

Main Auditorium, 9.30pm £5

A special late night screening of Tony Palmer’s extraordinary film about Vaughan Williams introduced by the director himself. This powerful and moving film firmly dispels the myth that Vaughan Williams was simply a cuddly folk song collector and recycler who was affectionately known as “Uncle Ralph”. As well as exploring his musical legacy, Palmer also focuses on the human side of the man and delivers an outstanding and fascinating film. Please note the film (copies of which will be on sale) lasts 150 minutes.

Saturday 19th July

Coffee Concert

Main Auditorium, 11.30am £10 / Concs £8

Martene Grimson – soprano, Simon Lane – piano

Lincoln Coffee Concert
19 July 2008
Simon Lane, piano

Robert Schumann; Liederkreis Op.39 (excerpts)
In der Fremde I
Intermezzo
Waldesgesprach
Die Stille
Mondnacht
Auf einer Berg
In der Fremde II
Fruhlingsnacht

Samuel Barber
Nocturne
Sure on this Shining Night
Nuvoletta

Britten Folksong Arrangements
Sally Gardens
Early one morning
The Ashgrove
Waly Waly
Oliver Cromwell

Introducing two young artists of the recital scene in a programme that ranges far and wide to reveal sympathetic settings of powerful words.

—

The Lincoln Drill Hall Saturday Session

with Liam Robinson singing Lincolnshire Folk Songs

12.30pm

—

Open Rehearsal of One Foot in Eden

Main Auditorium, 3pm

Free to the evening concert ticket holders.

James Gilchrist, Julius Drake, the Emperor Quartet and David Matthews.

Listening to new music needs time and repetition. This event allows us all to get close to the action during the preparation of a new piece. Any rehearsal is fascinating; this will be particularly so.

—

One Foot in Eden

Main Auditorium, 7.30pm £15 / Concs £12

James Gilchrist – tenor, Julius Drake – piano, Emperor Quartet

Dvorak String Quartet no 10 in Eb Slavonic
Vaughan Williams On Wenlock Edge
David Matthews ‘One Foot in Eden’ Op. 107 World Premiere
Elgar Piano Quintet in A minor Op 84

The themes of land, landscape and a sense of place weave through this programme as they do through the whole Festival. Six performers, four composers and two poets combine in this concert to contribute their personal and artistic reflections on eternal themes.

—

Sunday 20th July

Ivor Gurney; Poet, Composer – An Illustrated Talk Ludlow and Teme

Main Auditorium, 11.45am £12 / Concs £10

Kate Kennedy – speaker, Andrew Kennedy – tenor, Julius Drake – piano, Emperor Quartet

Housman’s poetry famously set to music by Vaughan Williams in “On Wenlock Edge” also provided inspiration for the poet and composer Ivor Gurney. Kate Kennedy who is currently writing a book on Gurney, gives us an insight into his life and art, illustrated with some of the pieces from Gurney’s song cycle, Ludlow and Teme which will be then be performed in full.

—

Lunch with the Artists (Meal B)

Drill Hall Ruston Room 1.00pm £15 per person

Enjoy a chance to chat to some of the weekend’s artists. With produce predominantly from Lincolnshire, organic and Fairtrade this occasion celebrates the bounty of the land and the conclusion of the festival. The price includes first glass of wine or other drink. See separate booking form for menu and booking details.

—

Let Me Enjoy the Earth

Main Auditorium, 3.30pm £12 / Concs £10

James Gilchrist – tenor, Gareth Hulse – oboe, Julius Drake – piano

Finzi Till Earth Outwears
Vaughan Williams Ten Blake Songs
Britten Winter Words

Poems of Thomas Hardy and William Blake were the inspiration for these moving song cycles, rooted in the past but possessing a timeless quality which still touches us today.